Improvement in poultices



UNITED STATES HENRY EVANS OAUTY, OF LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN PCULTICES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 186,540, dated January 23, 1877; application filed V December 19, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY EvANs GAUTY,

of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, in the Kingdom of England, have `invented a new and useful Improvement in Poultices and similar applications, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawmgs. 1

In the application or use of poultices they are thoroughly effective only while Vmoist and ted With Water only, or with suchmedicinal liquid as may be desirable, and is placed 'next to the skin. y

It thus acts asa poultice, andkeeps hot for hours Withoutfurther trouble. It can be taken ofinstantly withoutleaving any dirt behindso troublesome to Wash olf in the case of 1inseed or even bran poultices.

If cold instead of heat is desired, instead of hot water a refrigerating-mixtnre, iced Water,

or snow, or pounded ice and Water, can be inserted lnto the bag.

When done with, the apparatus can be Washed, the bag emptied, and the Whole hung up or packed away.

In large hospitals, Where a large assortment of these poultices can be kept, different shaped and sized bags can be used; but for ordinary domestic use it is Well to have a poultice that Will t itself to all parts of the body to which it may be applied. To enable it to do so more eifectually, I place several bags side by side on the back of the spongeopilene, either independent of each other, as mitigare 3, which is a transverse section, or each bag joined to its next neighbors by a flexible tube or opening. If the latter, the bags could be made of hard material, if desirable; but I prefer the india-rubber.

Fig. 1 is a transverse section of the bag. Figs. 2 and 3 represent, in crosssection, the bag modified in form A, showing moulth-piece c, funnel-tube D for filling, and hand screw or plug for preventing the escape of the liquid. B is the spongeopilene. There need be only one month-piece if all the bags are connected with pipes or junctions.

I claim- A water-bag, faced With spongeopilene or similar absorbent material, to serve as a poultice, substantially as described.

HENRY EVANS GAUTY.

Witnesses: i

WM. P. THOMPSON, EDWARD G. GoLToN. 

